


For the Greater Good

by matimae



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Blood Loss, Blood and Injury, Bones is a self sacrifical idiot, Captive, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, James T. Kirk is a Good Friend, Leonard McCoy is a Mess, Spock is a Good Friend (Star Trek), Whump, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:07:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26918575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matimae/pseuds/matimae
Summary: The crew is taken captive and Bones makes the decision that his life should be traded in for theirs, for the greater good. Whump ensues.
Relationships: James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock
Kudos: 35
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	For the Greater Good

**Author's Note:**

> written for whumptober 2020 no.9 (take me instead, run!)

Bones trailed behind Kirk’s lead as the small company of the Enterprise go team was exploring the newest planet full of rugged terrain. _Why did they always have to have the worst terrain? Would it kill them to land on a planet that was enjoyable for once?_ Bones hummed over the thought as he continued on the path. I _f you could call it that_...

He was the only medical personal with clearance for an operation like this, otherwise he’d be back on the ship dealing with sore throats.

“Thank you for being so hospitable and welcoming to us,” the Captain said to the native inhabitants of the planet, who were cautiously walking along side of them.

They were humanoid type creatures, nothing quite out of the ordinary.

Escorting them to a banquet meal is what Bones was told was happening- but the more glances he would catch from the inhabitant’s made him doubt the sincerity of their actions.

Most times Bones’ rampant distrust of everyone around him turned out to be uncalled for. This time it seemed- as they walked into a clearing and all weapons were turned onto the small crew- maybe he wasn’t worried enough.

“Uh- Captain to Enterprise… we have a situation...” Kirk immediately comm’d up to the ship, only to be greeted with static in return.

“Kirk to Enterprise? Hello? Hello?”

Kirk dropped the comm, obvious that they were using some blocker anyways, and put up his hands. “It’s alright fellows; let’s all just keep our heads.”

Bones and Spock try to corral the other Enterprise members into a smaller group behind them.

“You stay silent!” the older manlike creature said, clearly the leader of the group.

Bones knew that Kirk didn’t like being told what to do, and not even Hell on Earth could make the Captain be silent for a solid 10 minutes, but he seemed to comply well enough.

The leader beckoned to two of the inhabitants that had spear’s inches from their throats- they lowered them momentarily. Bones heart soared as he dared to think they just might make it out of this.

Instead the two traded their spears in for rope and Bones’ stomach dropped further.

Tied up was _always_ the worst scenario.

...

“It could be worse! Let’s not lose hope just yet.” Kirk said, his back tied to Bones.

“Yes- it could be worse. In a few short minutes and it _will_ be much worse Captain, once their fire is ready I’m certain that we are in fact the main course.” Spock interjected, as blunt as always.

“That’s not very _hopeful_ of you,” Bones said, a semi-playful aggression behind his tone. He didn’t want to be some random’s meal, but he also knew that he didn’t need to be a full on Ass if this was indeed their last half hour.

Bones felt an elbow dig into his side.

“What the hell?”

Kirk appeared in front of him, his ropes falling down to his ankles. “I told you all not to lose hope!”

Scrambling the Captain managed to get the others loose, they made it 5 feet before they were surrounded again.

_Shit!_

This couldn’t happen again! And by now their fire was ready which means it was about time for dinner, and surely they wouldn’t make the same rope mistake twice.

They couldn’t get out of this one.

Not unless Bones did something.

It was stupid, but it was all he could think of. A very bone-headed decision. Which, was kind of a namesake, right?

He pulled a ‘Kirk’. A very James Tiberius move, if you asked anybody.

Bones pushed his small crew out of the way of danger, “Run! Get out of here!” he screamed, giving them no room to argue, he turned back to the group of the spear wielders, closing in on him. “Just take me instead...”

_This is for the greater good, after all. The world needed Spock and Kirk. It doesn’t need another Doctor. Maybe this is how it was always meant to be._

He violently pushes them out of the way, his safety be damned. The crew made it a solid 20 feet ahead of Bones and he could tell that they wanted to turn around, but they must’ve passed some sort of barrier, because their activators connected and they beamed up to the Enterprise.

It was that moment when Bones knew they were safe and that he had actually done a good thing in his life, when he felt the arrow pierce his once pristine blue shirt.

Just the tip stuck out of his (now mangled) shoulder, it's corroded edge reflecting in his own blood.

Well, shit.

Bones couldn't take his eyes off of the arrow embedded into him, even as he swayed om his feet he kept his sight trained on the gruesome nightmare.

Not like Bones hadn't seen worse, he's the lead Doctor on the Enterprise, _he's seen everything._

It's a little different when it's your body, and your pain, versus being the one helping out.

Bones was lightheaded and dizzy, and took the precautionary measure to just take a knee.

It's not like he could run.

He was already a captive, why wear himself down?

If Bones was his normal self he would have made a remark about how the loose rocks on the surface if the planets were digging into his knees, and if the species have ever heard of something called 'road'. It was hard to grump about something so trivial now that he had to fully concentrate not to just tip over the rest of the way.

Someone yanks the arrow out from behind him and he released a scream that he didn’t even know he was capable of. If he had that emotion in his marriage maybe his wife wouldn’t’ve left him...

Bones topples to the ground.

Officially on board now with the ‘I hate the terrain of this place’ he spits out a loose rock, it's already red color in nature now doubled by the shine of his blood.

But this is what he signed up for, really. To be the sacrificial lamb.

The Captain and Spock and crew had made it out of here and that’s all that really mattered.

Who really cares if he was the main dish to a hungry crowd now. Well- that still didn't sound good. Maybe he still did care. A bit.

Bones lays there face down in the dirt and rock and doesn't try to turn over or stand up. Whats the point.

He didn't have to get himself up, two big hands were on his shoulders in no time and stetting him upright.

He winces and bit his lip to avoid letting loose another scream straight from the pit of despair. Shoulda done drama. He'd probably be good at it.

Not be a shitty Doctor in the worlds fastest-way-to-kill-you-of-a-job.

He was escorted to the middle of the crowd, they hollered in delight at their capture although Bones could still see a scowling look in some of their eyes from loosing some of their meal.

That put a smile on his face.

If he saved his friends, then it was worth it. And if the enemy was pissed, well now that's just the cherry on top.

Bones assess the damage the best that he can. Things aren’t looking great for him. He keeps his hand clamped down on his shoulder to stop the bleeding, but it was still seeping through his fingers.

The pessimistic side of him was wondering if it was all just a moot point because he was about to become a first course for a hungry mob, but the survival instincts kept his hand clenched on the wound anyways.

His chest was rising and falling with his pulse and with no proper medical treatment- Bones didn’t know how long he could last. He didn’t even know how long it had been, he could hardly see straight.

His vision blotted out and Bones all but fell in on himself. He felt hands on him, moving him.

This was it then.

When he was made it to soup or something.

_Hopefully_ _I’m_ _at least_ _tasty_ … He thought deliriously. The hands were shaking him and pulling him, but they were being _gentle_ with him.

Weakly Bones tried to open his eyes.

“C’ptn?”

“Bones! You’re awake!” Kirk exclaimed, a grin spreading across the Captain’s face.

“You came back for me?”

“Of course we did Doctor. You’re a member of the Enterprise, you’re...essential. Now, let’s get you to the med-bay,” Spock said. Bones couldn’t tell if he was still delirious from blood loss or if his Vulcan was goin’ soft on him.

The two hoisted the weaker man up onto his feet and supported him shoulder to shoulder, stumbling their way to some better help.

Yeah...the world needed a Spock and a Kirk. But apparently a certain Spock and Kirk thought the work needed a McCoy too.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! <3


End file.
